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Scientific name Teinopalpus aureus Mell, 1923
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Chinese name 金斑喙鳳蝶，黃天狗鳳蝶
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English name
Golden Kaiser-i-Hind |
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Classification 鳳蝶科(Papilionidae)，鳳蝶亞科(Papilioninae)，青鳳蝶族(Leptocricini)
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Diagnosis
Wingspan 8-10 cm, much smaller than former species. Wing
shape similar to former species but shorter in length,
more rounded at apex, hindwing tail less sharp. Wing pattern
in general similar to former species but with medial band
metallic greenish yellow, underside grayish white instead
of orange, hindwing with a discoidal black bar on posterior
angle of discoidal cell; in female, wing pattern similar
to former species but smaller in size and paler in colouration. |
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Distribution
According Chou (1994), this species could be separated
into the following subspecies: ssp. wuyiensis Lee (Jiangxi,
Jejiang, Fujien), ssp. aureus Mell (Guangdong), ssp. guangxiensis
Chou et Zhou (Guangxi) and ssp. hainanensis Lee (Hainan).
Two additonal subspecies, ssp. eminens and ssp. shinkai
were currently reported from the northern and southern
Vietnam, respectively. Chao & Wang (1997) doubted
if all subspecies are actually individual variations and
not necessary to receive subspecific rank. The present
distribution of this species has been much wider than
previously known and has been found sympatric with the
former species in some area of north Indochinese Peninsula.
and the mainlind China (Cheung, 2001). |
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Habitat and Ecology
Previously, the life history of this rare species had
remained unknown since it was described in 1923. In 1995,
a pupal case of the population in Hainan Island was firstly
pictured by Kitawaki (Watanabe, 1998) and Magnolia lotungensis
was suspected to be the potential hostplant. Until recently,
the complete life history was reported by Igarashi (2001)
in detail for the first time from Vietnam. In Igarashi's
test of hostplant preference, the larvae may utilize Magnolia
cadlei and some other relative plant species in natural
condition. In Wujishan Nature Reserve of Hainan Island,
this species usually inhabits and flies around the ridges
at about 800m in elevation, where the dominant plants
are Vaccinium hainanense, bamboos and pine trees (Watanabe,
1998). The males show very strong territorial behavior
on canopy, which is similar to some large nymphalid butterflies.
According to the collecting data, the species is very
likely bivoltine (Igarashi, 2001). For additional information
about this species see Gu & Chen (1997), Bai et al.
(1996) and Bai & Wang (1998). |
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Threats and Conservation Status
The habitat of the type locality of the nominotypical
subspecies, Lienping of the northern Guangdong, has been
seriously destroyed since the 1930s. The other known populations
in Hainan Island and Vietnam have been threatened by deforestation
and illegal collecting. |
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Remarks
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